[GiveToHairy]

Sorry, I know quilling is a hot topic and I read the posts on it but I wanted to list Sam's situation and see if it is:

Sam is still approx. 390grams the same weight range he's been for a few months
He went from a routine of an average of 4miles a night for a few nights, a spike at 8 or 9 and once even 11miles then back to his average TO: an average between 1.5 and 2.5 miles a night. He's definitley sleeping more.

He likes his temp lower - between 70 and 73 but it is still SO dry in Mchigan so his humidifer is on and he gets a bath and tooth brush back scratch (he loves this) but he still has dry skin.

He is losing at least one quill every day, sometimes I find two in his bed a day...

He is approx 6-7months old.

Still eats and drinks fine and is fiesty (i.e. attacks your clothes if you are wearing perfume)

Poo is regular color, etc.

He's just become lazy basically and is losing quills and has dry but not terrible dry (his ears look great) skin: Could this be quilling?

 

[Hedgehog Grove]

I don't think it matters whether he likes it 70-73F it is life threatening to him at this temperature and I suggest that you up his temperature to the safe range of 73-80F, 75-80F is even safer. Unless you want to deal with hibernation this is your best choice.

If he is only losing one or two a day I don't think it is quilling and he is a little old to be quilling at 6-7mths old. He might quill when he is 1 year old but not at 6-7mths old. 1 - 2 a day is normal as long as you see new ones growing in through his skin.

Full bathing should be keep to a minimum, once a month, if you are finding him with dry skin try adding flax seed oil from the capsules to his final rinse water and adding a few drops to his food a couple times a week. For his ears you can rub some of the flax seed oil on them a few times a week and they should get better as it is probably just build up. Footsy baths can be done as needed to clean his feet of poop. Only use enough warm water to cover his feet and a little way up his legs.

Edited: Is he scratching excessively that you have noticed?

 

[GiveToHairy]

Hi Thanks for your reply! Nope, no scratching. And his ears look good. Just dry skin - no orange crusts, sores, etc. I will try raising the temp as you suggested right now.

Thanks, joelle